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Traditional TCM Preparation Methods

Ⅸ-4Traditional MedicineChengde, HebeiBatch 5 (2021)Extension Item

01 · Historical Records

Low back and leg pain has been a common ailment in the Chengde area since ancient times; archival records attribute the practice of using nux vomica (maqianzi) in compound formulas to treat low back and leg pain to a senior member of the Guo family more than a century ago. His descendant Guo Xiaozhuang long tracked the clinical effects of the Compound Nux Vomica Powder (Fufang Maqianzi San), compiled a large body of research materials, and finalized the formula. Chengde is located in the severely cold region beyond the Great Wall, where rheumatic and cold-dampness invasion coexist with strain and injury from labor; medication must both dispel cold-dampness and avoid violent toxicity — this is precisely why the processing of nux vomica became the core technique of the formula: sand-frying reduces toxicity and bran-frying moderates its harshness, enabling the potent medicine to be taken over a long period.

02 · Core Techniques & Process

The Yaotongning formula is a Chinese medicine prescription composed of ten medicinal materials, including nux vomica powder (maqianzi fen), frankincense (ruxiang), and myrrh (moyao), formulated under the guidance of traditional Chinese medicine theory to specifically treat low back and leg pain; its medicinal processing technique is the process of processing medicinals such as nux vomica, atractylodes (cangzhu), and stiff silkworm (jiangcan) using methods such as sand-frying and bran-frying. The core elements of this technique are the formula and the processing of nux vomica. The main characteristic of the formula is that it uses nux vomica as the sovereign medicinal, with nine other medicinals in combination, strictly following the TCM theory of sovereign, minister, assistant, and courier (jun, chen, zuo, shi); in processing methods, all ten medicinal materials, including nux vomica, follow the principles of ancient processing. In particular, the processing of nux vomica adheres to the traditional and commonly used 'sand-frying method,' combining the rich practical experience of veteran pharmaceutical workers with modern science and technology; this has established standardized processing methods and evaluation criteria, developed unique processing techniques, and achieved the goals of making full use of processed nux vomica, stable quality, optimal efficacy, and safe use. The use of specially prepared yellow wine as a medicinal guide with the finished product of this technique is also one of its main characteristics, preserving the traditional Chinese medicine feature of 'using a medicinal guide to move the medicinal force and drive the drug power directly to the site of disease'; it needs to be taken only once a day, is convenient to take, and has a long-lasting effect. The Yaotongning formula and its medicine are mainly used for low back and leg pain caused by cold-dampness and stasis obstruction, achieving the aims of enhancing efficacy, reducing toxicity, dispelling dryness, and guiding the medicine to its proper channel, among others; they embody the folk experience of Chinese medicine in treating human disease and represent an inheritance and development of the TCM theories of medicinal combination and processing methods.

Sand-roasting of nux vomica

As the sovereign drug, nux vomica is sand-roasted so heat is even, breaking down its toxicity while keeping its action, now under a written standard.

Bran-frying and other classical processes

Atractylodes and stiff silkworm are bran-fried and otherwise processed by old rules, each of the ten drugs following its own method.

The sovereign-minister-assistant-messenger layout

Nux vomica leads nine companions in a strict sovereign, minister, assistant and messenger layout aimed at easing pain from cold-damp stasis.

Yellow wine as the drug guide

The finished medicine is taken once a day with special yellow wine, following the old idea of wine carrying the drug to the site.

The atractylodes growing base

A twelve-thousand-mu growing base of northern atractylodes ties local farming to the bone-injury formulas of this project.

03 · Regional Records & Related Items

The place of practice for this heritage project is Chengde, Hebei, relying on Jingfukang Pharmaceutical for transmission and production; the finished products are sold throughout the country, with more than five million users annually. The stable supply of atractylodes, stiff silkworm, and other medicinals in the formula prompted the establishment of a 12,000-mu northern atractylodes planting base around the project (about 800 hectares), driving 4,500 farmer households in Chengde and neighboring provinces to grow medicinal materials and increase employment and income. A transmission community composed of representative inheritors, clinical doctors, and pharmaceutical research teams brings together folk formula experience, physicians' syndrome-differentiation thinking, and pharmaceutical research methods, enabling this northern Hebei prescription to retain its place in the modern medical system.

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04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding

The place of practice for this heritage project today is Chengde City; its finished products are sold throughout the country, with more than 5.1 million users annually. More than 110 years ago, a senior member of the Guo family began using a compound formula with nux vomica as the sovereign medicinal. Guo Xiaozhuang, the fourth-generation representative inheritor, devoted a great deal of effort to studying nux vomica, tracking the clinical effects of the related formulas, compiling a large body of research materials, and finalizing the formula of the 'Compound Nux Vomica Powder.' After many years of research, development, transmission, and protection work, this heritage project has now formed a transmission community composed of representative inheritors, clinical doctors, and professional pharmaceutical research teams. Treating low back and leg pain with Chinese medicine compound formulas containing nux vomica is a precious part of China's medical heritage; transmitting and developing this valuable legacy has played an important role in promoting contemporary research on preparations that use nux vomica as the sovereign medicinal. This heritage project has transmitted and carried forward the essence of traditional Chinese medicine culture; the 12,000-mu northern atractylodes planting base established around it, among other initiatives, has driven 4,500 farmer households in Chengde and neighboring provinces to develop medicinal material cultivation, helping increase employment and income, and producing good economic and social benefits.

05 · Associated Representative Bearers

Representative bearers recorded under this item, organized by national nomination batch:

06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography

  1. Traditional TCM Preparation Methods (Chengde, Hebei) · China ICH Official Project Archive

Sources

China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)

Read the official ihchina.cn record ↗

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